Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is the eighth movie in the series and a direct sequel to 2023’s Dead Reckoning Part One.
There was a real sense of excitement in the air as we waited to enter the cinema to watch what might be Tom Cruise’s final take as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, the latest addition to the long-running franchise.
Before the film began, it was a lovely surprise to see Tom Cruise appear on screen in a heartfelt video message to the audience. He reflected on his nearly 30-year journey as Ethan Hunt, and it genuinely felt like a moment of gratitude and nostalgia for long-time fans.
Fun fact: The movie also got a 5–7-minute standing ovation at Cannes, which is impressive and helped build the hype.
As soon as the iconic Mission: Impossible theme began playing, with a montage of moments from past films, the entire cinema seemed to get swept up in the emotion and clapped; a reminder of how much this series has meant to audiences over the years.
The film delivers exactly what you’d expect from an MI movie: fast-paced action, thrilling stunts, and high-stakes missions.
Somehow, even the most over-the-top sequences feel believable when Tom Cruise does them. Despite the advanced technology and modern filmmaking, it still had the energy of a good old classic action film.
It was a treat to see familiar faces return, with Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Henry Czerny, Pom Klementieff and Angela Bassett reprising their roles from previous films. The submarine sequence stands out as one of the film’s most impressive scenes.
The movie also had some unexpectedly funny moments, with the audience laughing and clapping. Hayley Atwell, in particular, stood out. Her facial expressions during some of Tom Cruise’s more intense action moments were priceless, especially when it was clear from her reactions that something brutally violent had just happened.
Another light-hearted highlight was when she and Lucy Tulugarjuk tried to communicate about riding a dog-led sledge through the snowy terrain. This was a hilarious and refreshingly human moment amidst all the high-stakes action.
That said, the film did feel long in some parts, particularly during the biplane sequence, which could easily have been edited without losing any major impact.
Each Mission: Impossible film has always aimed to raise the bar. Unfortunately, The Final Reckoning doesn’t quite reach the heights one would expect from a grand finale.
While it’s entertaining, it doesn’t quite hit that finale-level epicness. It’s good. Just not great. It kind of plays it safe for a movie that’s supposed to be the endgame.
Interestingly, despite the title and its sentimental themes, the ending does leave room for interpretation, possibly hinting at a future continuation of the story. Could this be the end of Tom Cruise’s time as Ethan Hunt, leading the way for a reboot? Or will we see him return once again?
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is an enjoyable watch. Great action, solid nostalgia, but doesn’t quite land that finale punch. Still, if you’re a Tom Cruise/ MI fan, it’s worth the watch.
Our rating: 3.5/5
